In walls in contact with the soil, moisture and water seepage can undermine the
stability and longevity of the structure, while also potentially making interiors such as cellars, basements or other underground rooms unhealthy. Geosynthetics like studded membranes and drainage geocomposites play a key role in protecting foundations, preserving the integrity of waterproofing, and draining water.
In this age of climate change, with extreme events like weather bombs bringing huge
amounts of water to be "eliminated", it is imperative to preserve the integrity of underground walls — being in direct contact with the soil — the protection of which needs to be suitably redesigned.
Some of the main considerations to be factored in to the design of foundation walls include:
· the site's topography
· the type of soil (slimy, sandy, gravelly)
· the expected amount of water based on historical rainfall records
· whether there is considerable groundwater present.
To deal with these many and varied situations, sometimes with more than one factor in play, the solutions to be adopted are aimed at protecting the waterproofing layer and draining water fully.
